Amaechi Inaugurates NRC Board, Urges Members To Work As A Team
Oru Leonard
The Minister of Transportation , Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday, May 2, 2019 inaugurated the governing board of the Nigerian railway corporation NRC.
Speaking at the ceremony in Abuja, Amaechi advised the board to work as a team in order not to continue with the pace of work on the railway projects. He said going by the present pace, track laying up to Ibadan will be completed by the end of May, while track laying at Apapa seaport will be completed by the end of the year.
The Minister of Transportation, told the members to be change-agents by adhering to zero tolerance for corruption as they aspire to move Nigeria to the next level.
Amaechi, urged the Chairman and Board Members to embrace harmonious working relationship with the management of the Corporation in the performance of their functions, so as to achieve the objectives of the government.
“As Governing Board Members, you are also charged with the responsibilities for measuring performance against targets and introducing broad policy measures that will curtail any deviations to ensure that the targets are achieved” Amaechi stated.
He noted that Federal Government embarked on the restructuring and repositioning of the various establishments under the ministry, including the Nigerian Railway Corporation, in order to foster an economy that is robust, transparent, accountable and in line with international best practices.
The Minister urged members to justify the confidence reposed on them as Governing Board Members of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), in order to promote prudence, transparency, accountability, equity and fairness in the discharge of their responsibilities. 
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport, earlier in his welcome address disclosed that the board would consist of 26 members, 22 of whom are nominated by the states while the remaining 6 will be appointed by the Minister of transportation.
The Governor Board consisting of 26 members with Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan as Chairman, is responsible for setting out the NRC’s economic, financial, operational and administrative practices in accordance with government policy directives aimed at assisting the Corporation to achieve its mandate.
The Chairman, Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan who spoke on behalf of the board, commended the Minister of Transportation for the multiple achievements recorded in the railway development in Nigeria and pledged that the current board will do their best to facilitate the success recorded in the NRC. He also thanked the Federal government for the opportunity given to the board new members to contribute their quota.
Twenty out of the 26 Board of Directors that were inaugurated by the Minister of Transportation on Thursday were men and the Minister promised to bring women on board.
